The trees swayed as the wind danced through them on a cold rainy October night. Estella Ravenhearse was comfortably on her way home from a long weekend at her family's estate in France. Not only was her father not able to join her, but he insisted that he stay home for personal reasons. It bothered Estella to no end, but she was focused on more important matters. Her family's company was doing quite well surprisingly after a massive plummet in sales. The Ravenhearse's had been known to have the highest quality swords in all of Europe, but when her father had run out of resources after using all their savings to pay for her mother's funeral, he turned to a much more volatile substance given to him by a man in a dark cloak. Estella hated her father for being so weak, enough so that he would use some unknown substance to make their infamous Ravenhearse swords with, even if the substance raised their sales enormously. It sickened her even to think about how it managed to do so. Though her father was weak and her mother non-existent, she decided that she should take over part of the family business to assist her dear incompetent father.
Estella's POV
As the carriage neared the manor, I could hear a bustling commotion outside. Not knowing what was occurring, I jumped from the carriage and ran towards my manor through the mud. It was then I saw the smoke towering over the tops of the trees in the yard. There were many people running around like frantic idiots, my eyes didn't know which way to look. A man in a yard uniform jogged up to me and looked into my eyes. "Your father….didn't make it out Miss Estella….I'm terribly sorry," he sentimentally said. I could only stare at him. My stomach was in knots and without thinking I burst out into a run towards the manor with people trying to grab me as I swiftly rushed by. Father….I hope I'm not too late...
Estella burst through the doors of the burning house. Flames licked at the edges of the doors and windows. The intense heat hit Estella hard in her long confining dress. Even though it attacked her from all angles she jumped through the flames leading into the ballroom. "Father, where are you? Can you hear me? Please answer me!" cried Estella. A cracking sound came from the ceiling and a flaming board dropped down, hitting the back of her dress. She was trapped, and like paper, her dress went up in flames. "Not going to happen…" Estella thought. With that she pulled out a sharp dagger from her bosom. Her father had always told her to keep her dagger well hidden, but accessible. Estella grasped the dagger tightly and cut her dress above the flaming fabric. As soon as she was free she stumbled over a few chairs that had fallen in her path. Every ounce of Estella's body was begging her to stop, but she pushed forward until she reached her father's study. The doors burst open as she stepped inside, coughing. "Estella…" a weak voice came from behind her father's desk. "Father!" shrieked Estella as she ran towards her father's desk. There lay Lord Ravenhearse with a sword through his stomach and blood pooling around him. He was sweating profusely and had burns on his face and legs. Estella knelt down to her father and without saying a word attempted to pick him up. "Estella," he father said sadly, "You have to leave me or you won't get out, I will not have that." Estella looked into his eyes, he was serious. "I can't, I won't leave you!" she insisted half hysterical. Lord Ravenhearse looked up at her and smiled weakly as an ominous breeze swirled around them, "Please, do this for me." Estella's tears were pouring out of her eyes now, making everything slightly blurry. "If I go, you must tell me who hurt you…" she angrily sobbed. His eyes widened and with his last words he sputtered out through some blood, "Cloaked…man…" His eyes shut and his breath stopped. Estella got up and looked down at her father. "I will find your killer father…I have to…" she said grimly.
Estella's POV
The smoke burned my eyes and the tears didn't help much either. I held it in as long as possible, but slowly my wails of sorrow turned into shrieks. With nowhere left to go but out, I burst through the window of my father's study out onto the back terrace. When I looked back all I could see were flames dancing throughout my house and blood dripping down the broken window shards. I knew I was bleeding pretty badly from the stickiness that I felt running down my arms and head. It didn't matter though…the only thing that mattered was my father's murderer and his eminent death. Slowly, I began walking out into the forest that was behind our manor, I had always been afraid to enter, but now I felt as though it didn't factor into my feelings given the circumstance…
As Estella made her way into the dark thick forest, the rain began to pour harder, but she didn't pay it any mind, for she was in a shocked trance that prohibited her from stopping. Suddenly, she tripped over a broken branch that was sprawled out on the grassy floor. She just lay there on the ground crying and after some time she clenched her hands in the dirt and looked up. Little did she know there was a mansion about nine hundred yards away. Shaking as she pulled herself up, Estella trudged over to the gates and glanced at the sign, it read Phantomhive Manor. She contemplated whether to go to the doors or not. Deciding against it not wanting to burden them, she slowly turned around with her head hung down. "I'm all alone now…"
With Estella's confidence in the dirt and her hope of finding someone to help her find her father's killer, she walked...and she walked….and she walked for hours upon hours at a time. Seeming as though she had walked across all of London, she headed towards the nearest house she could find, hoping that someone would show her enough hospitality for the night. A dim lit manor appeared before her as she continued walking. When she approached the sign it read, Trancy Manor. Estella stared at the sign hoping she would recognize the name eventually, but however hard she tried she could not. So, without a speck of hesitation this time, she pushed open the gates and walked under a tree to observe the house. It seemed nice enough and yet she felt there was something off about it.
Estella's POV
I took a tiny step closer to the manor, still under the tree, and heard a scratching sound coming from behind me. Shaking I turn around only to be confronted by the biggest spider I had ever seen in my entire life. Though I may be eighteen, spiders still frightened me to no end. I tried to scream, but nothing would come out. Without warning the spider jumped onto my chest and proceeded to scuttle around. I finally screamed and turned to run, only to run into another tree. I stumbled backwards and held my nose which was spewing blood. Everything looked really blurry and soon I lost control of my body and fell to the ground. The world turned to black as I passed out. Honestly that was the stupidest and weakest thing I had ever done in my life and I hoped that no one would find my lying here on the ground looking like this.
Hours later, Earl Trancy opened his eyes sleepily and turned to see Claude looking out the window. "Claude what are you looking at?" questioned Alois. Claude turned around with his poker face on and nonchalantly replied, "Nothing your highness." Alois shrugged and continued having Claude get him ready for the day, with much effort. Outside, the triplet boys ran around doing their duties in the garden until one of them whispered to the other one and pointed to the figure lying under a tree. Soon all three of them had been informed and, in unison, they all walked over to the figure and glanced down at it. Whispering amongst themselves they studied the figure and poked it. Estella groaned and moved a bit, not waking up. All of the boys cocked their heads to the right side and looked at each other unsure of what to do. One turned and ran to find their master. A few seconds later, a woman with silver hair in a purple maid's uniform rushed up to the boys and glanced over to where the boys were pointing. She slowly approached the figure realizing it was a girl. The maid held her finger to her lip and studied the girl for a moment. She waved her hand to the boys without saying anything and they all walked up and picked up the girl, carrying her towards the manor.
Estella's POV
My body hurt immensely as I became slightly conscious. Personally, I was wondering if I had slept wrong in the carriage…then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Last night….was real…it wasn't a dream…Father is dead and I wandered around until I hit a tree. *Sigh* I could only hope that no one was near and I could scurry away unnoticed. Suddenly as I became aware of my body, I felt it moving, though not like I was on the ground, there was nothing beneath me. Drat….I must've been picked up by someone…I desperately tried to become more aware of the situation by getting my hearing to work again. I heard murmurs and then a very cold voice speak. "What….is this?" the voice spoke. I heard whispers and then the hard voice say, "I see…well give her to me…." Then, I felt myself being shifted to a pair of large strong arms. I was frightened to say the least and though I felt able enough to open my eyes, I held them shut and pretended to be asleep. Either way, this man's aura was unlike any I had ever felt, it was rare that I could feel anyone's aura, but if it was strong enough….I could pick up on it. I only hoped that this menacing aura wasn't going to kill me…
Claude hastily walked down the many hallways to an empty room. He tossed Estella on the couch and glared down at her. "I know you are awake, so there is no reason to continue to pretend," he hissed. Estella slowly opened her eyes as the blurriness of her vision faded. "I didn't want to be a burden…I didn't ask to be brought inside, I would've just left," she angrily whispered. Claude still glaring at her with his golden yellow eyes, he opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by Estella barking, "So I'll just be on my way butler if that is ok with you." Claude replied in a hard voice, "It is not 'ok' with me and you will not be leaving until you explain yourself." Estella looked up only to be taken aback by his sudden glowing red eyes. Stuttering she said, "W..well I wa..was coming home last night…a…and I found my house to be engulfed in flames, so I rushed inside only to find m…my father….dying right before my eyes so I left. I wandered around for a while until I came upon the Trancy Manor. Really I didn't want to be a burden and I would've just come to the door, but I fell unconscious…the end" Estella glared hard at the butler, hoping he wouldn't prod into her story any more since she had left out quite a bit. Claude could only look hard at Estella and said, "I see, well now that you seem to be an orphan, no one will really notice if you are gone or not…now will they?" He smirked and moved toward Estella. Sensing the ill intentions, she shot up off the couch and ran towards the door, yanking at the locked knob. Smirking she said in a scared voice, "Insinuating what dear butler?" As a last resort, Estella grabbed her dagger from her bosom and held it out for Claude to see. "You shall see," he smirked creepily. "I don't like the look this guy is giving me," Estella thought. As she raised her hand to strike Claude across the face, he inhumanly appeared next to her and grabbed hold of her wrist. "Unhand me!" yelled Estella. Not listening, Claude shoved her hard against the wall, making her gasp out in pain. He leaned in close to her ear and said, "My lady I am very hungry and do not like to be angered."
She gave him a questioning look and spoke with her bravest voice, "If you are so hungry go eat someone else you cannibalistic pervert!" Estella's emerald eyes burned with rage as she kneed Claude in the groin and in a spider-like manner, she crawled around onto his back. Her hands reached for his neck in an attempt to break it. His hands shot up to her own and he brought her over his shoulders and threw her to the ground. Estella heard a bone in her shoulder crack in a sickening crunch. She tried to scream, but Claude put his hand over her mouth.
Estella's POV
The pain in my shoulder was infinite and I couldn't cry out because the butler had forced his hand over my mouth. Suddenly, I was off the ground and held by my neck against the wall yet again. "I grow weary of these games," the butler growled. "I didn't know we were playing a game you devil," I glared back. With that he leaned in towards my face and spoke silently, "Your soul will be a nice snack, and I'm not the devil, no I am just his affiliate." The butler roughly placed his lips onto mine as I squirmed around trying to break free from his stone-like grasp. My stomach felt strange and I wanted to vomit. My head spun and a burning sensation formed in my chest. It felt like I was being roasted from the inside out. Tears weld up in my eyes as I broke out in what seemed like a fever. The burning sensation rose around my heart and up into my throat. I blinked back my tears and tried to push the butler away. It was then that my eyes closed without my permission and I saw my mother and father in a white light. They beckoned me to come to them, but I shook my head no, and finally my father solemnly said, "As a Ravenhearse you know what it takes to survive. That is why I gave you enough souls to last five lifetimes. Stay alive for me if you will not come with us now. Find my killer and you will understand why I made such difficult sacrifices for our family. I love you….my daughter….." And with that my father and mother were gone along with the rest of the world.
Claude swallowed Estella's soul and licked his lips while brushing back his hair. "Hmph, what a strange taste…" he said as he stared down at the crumpled body of Estella. After he adjusted his glasses, he picked her up bridal style and brought her out the back of the estate. Claude started running and at the edge of town he tossed her into a dark, dank alleyway.
Estella's POV
I hurt. All over. Everything was black, the world void of light. I looked all over for some source of light, but failed in the end. I wanted the pain to stop, but the empty feeling in my chest was too heavy. My soul, gone. Father had said something to me before he died, or rather I died. All was too confusing to understand what exactly was going on to truly determine my fate. I never even got the chance to ask Father what he meant when he said I had enough souls to last five lifetimes...
Ciel had just begun the investigation of the murdered prostitutes when he heard Sebastian stop behind him. "What is it Sebastian," Ciel inquired boredly. "My lord it is a woman. She appears to be unconscious," stated Sebastian. Ciel's expression changed from that of boredom to that of a mix between concern and confusion. He briskly trekked over to where Sebastian was standing and stared down the alleyway. To his surprise there was indeed a woman who was laying within the darkness of the poor kept alleyway. He walked over to her and kneeled down, turning her over. Sebastian followed and upon seeing the woman's face frowned grimly. "Master, the woman before you in dead. I cannot hear a heartbeat, nor any breath within her being," stated Sebastian. Ciel looked up at Sebastian annoyed and said," I know that, idiot. She doesn't appear to be related to our present case, so I question the cause of her death." He turned back to the body and without looking at Sebastian, he said firmly, "Sebastian, this is an order, prepare my carriage immediately. We are taking this woman to the Undertaker." Sebastian smirked and with his hand over his heart, replied, "Yes my lord."